[OhLaLa]

Just a heads up to everyone - foxes can get through the SMALLEST gaps.


We recently lost 15 ducks and chickens overnight. They were housed in a stone stable with a heavy oak door. Inside, the stable is separated into divisions. Hens in one, ducks in anther. My birds have lived there safely for practically a decade.


I found the devastation inside when I went to open up, feed, and let them out in the morning. Feathers everywhere, every bird killed, some with heads off. Much of the inner oak partitions had been pulled apart and wrecked.


We went through the options of what might have caused such destruction, searched for entry points and could find no way in. No holes in the stone (stone/pine martens crossed our thoughts), and no way in through the door.


I have cctv, and one camera points directly at the poultry house - so I sat and went through the recordings. Eventually at 4:15am I spotted Mama fox with her 2 cubs on the grass outside the poultry house. The two cubs were whizzing around the grass when one shot across towards the poultry house door and went straight under it without pausing. I watched it reappear after about 10 mins, then go straight back in about 1/2 hour or so later. Again, it just disappeared under the door, not pausing to slow down.


We went out to check the door again and then spotted how it had got in - where a concrete drainage dip is; measured about 4" at it's highest, by 6" or 8" at it's widest.


I went back in and watched them on other cctv cameras, bit runty and running about full of energy.


We caught the smallest runt cub a few days later, the other never went into the (humane) trap.


Bright yellow tennis balls abandoned in the horses field led us to their den hedgerow. Cubs like to nick kids toys to play with (and hone their hunting skills), and tennis balls are a favourite.

[mentalmilly]

that is so heartbreaking

[OhLaLa]

I know m.milly, thanks, disbelief when I opened the door that day saying 'morning' to them (yeah, I know, but I usually do). I can remember saying 'you lot are quiet this morning'.....


I waited a little while to post as wanted to relate the event factually not emotionally.
If cctv hadn't caught it I would never have believed a fox could get through such a small gap. I've seen large rats do it, so that gives you some idea of just how small the space was. Little more than an upside down mousehole.

PS: Gap blocked off now, new flock happy and well.

[Victorian Farmer]

Very good post but sad human hare good deterant urine etc. I hope you can re stock. So hard to get you're head round it.. I had a dog killed a lamb and chicken I pict the gun up and stopt. I had lost it. I just drove of till I had carmed dawn.